


Even Evil has Standards

by ForceMage56



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Arkham, Batman brings Red Hood to Arkham, It actually ends well this time, Jason in Arkham, The rogues gallery is not having it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 05:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15623082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForceMage56/pseuds/ForceMage56
Summary: Batman brought the Red Hood to Arkham. The Rogues gallery has a few things to say about that.





	Even Evil has Standards

**Author's Note:**

> I know I need to work on the epilogue for One Reason but this just happened.
> 
> Enjoy.

When Harley first sees him walk into the yard she’s 78.2% sure she’s hallucinating.

Because it can be, no way, he wouldn’t.

But then Ivy starts cursing under her breath and Eddy drops his crossword and there is no mistake.

The Red Hood, second Robin turned zombie anti-hero just walked into the common room of Arkham Asylum. He’s clearly taken a beating, black eye, and bruised wrists. Batman or Arkham guards it really doesn’t matter at this point. He’s here, in Arkham. Why is he here!?

Red Hood is in Arkham, there’s only one way he could be in Arkham and that’s if the Bats brought him here.

Brought one of their own here. Into the teeth of everyone, they put away.

He’s not even in protective custody, he’s in Max Security but he might as well be in gen pop.

He’s not insane, she knows that the rogues know that, the Arkham Doctors who didn’t buy their degree know that.

Why doesn't the bat know that?

One of these days she’s going to beat the Bat senseless with her Doctorate because this is just stupidity of the highest order. He fights criminally insane on a daily basis and he can’t tell the difference between PTSD and actual committable mental illness?

This is just unacceptable.

He belongs in Blackgate with Black Mask or Kitty. WHY THE FUCK IS HE HERE! 

Judging from the reactions around her the rest of the rogues' gallery has reached the same conclusion. Harvey shakes his head, Eddy still hasn't picked up his crossword, and Ivy’s fingernails are digging into the couch arm.

A small laugh has Harley’s head snapping around to find the source.

Joker’s leaning against the wall, laughing under his breath. Watching in delight as the fallen Robin sequesters himself in the farthest corner of the room. Watching and laughing.

Like he just can’t wait to get his hands on that boy once again.

Harley brains him with a chair leg.

* * *

 

Eddy stares in disbelief at the file in his hands.

It never takes much to bribe the guards in Arkham. God knows they aren't paid enough for what they deal with on daily. Getting his hands on Hood’s file was a cake walk.

Now he almost wishes he never laid eyes on it.

It is detailed. Much too detailed for a John Doe file. Rows and rows of childhood trauma are written out in explicit detail. A roadmap of pain and suffering that could be easily exploited by those with ill intent against their wayward Robin.

A roadmap provided by Batman. It was bad enough that he put his former Robin in Arkham, putting him in the Joker’s reach, but providing this file as well? Providing enough ammunition for Joker to break Hood down until there’s nothing left?

Hood’s lucky that Harley’s not under Joker’s control anymore. What she could do with this is almost too horrific to think about.

Eddy remembers watching her get dragged off to solitary after embedding a metal chair leg into Joker’s head in the common room. She had saluted Hood with bloodstained hands and a wink leaving the kid bewildered.

Joker survived and is currently confined to the infirmary. Hood is safe for now.

It won’t last.

Eddy looks back down at the papers in his hands.

18, this kid is 18.

The file burns quickly. Page after page of horrors goes up in smoke. Eddy throws the embers into the trash and heads back to his cell just as the fire alarm goes off.

Some riddles are better left unsolved.

* * *

 

Harvey glares at the Bat looming over him. You can see the frustration poorly hidden behind that stone cold facade. Nightwing leans against the wall behind him, he’s a lot easier to read.

Harvey grins. “It’s a lot harder to get your job done when no one’s willing to talk to you huh?”

The Nightwing shoots Batman a look of surprise but Batman doesn't look away.

“What are you talking about?” He growls. Harvey almost laughs. Got it in one.

“No one’s talking to you and we don’t have anything to say either. How about you stop wasting our time and get lost.”

Batman hauls Harvey up and slams him into the wall of his cell. “What are you hiding? Talk!”

Harvey gasps for air. “Visit your son lately?”

The reaction is immediate, Harvey falls to the ground. Nightwing looks like he’s been sucker punched. Batman actually takes a step back.

“Yeah, we know who he is, or was, your second Robin left to the Joker. Twice now.” Harvey dusts himself off and gets to his feet.

“That’s not justice, that’s revenge. We thought you knew the difference. Guess not.”

Harvey drops back onto his bunk, rolling his coin through his fingers. Batman and Nightwing file out the door.

* * *

 

Insults and taunts rain down from all sides when the Bats walk the halls of Arkham.

No one cooperates, no one so much as turns their way. They don’t trust them anymore. Why should they when the evidence walks Arkham’s very halls.

Three months after Hood was first brought to Arkham he finally gets a visitor. The island is eerily quiet when Batman enters Hood’s cell.

Not long after Batman leaves Harley sneaks over to Hood’s cell.

Hood is slumped in a corner.

There are fresh tear tracks running down his face.

All of Arkham revolts.

It’s the worst riot in Arkham history. Every rogue escapes in one night, except for Joker who was found in his cell with a knot on his head the size of a goose egg.

The tapes show Killer Croc busting down the door to Hood’s cell and carrying him off the island while the rest of the rogues run interference.

Batman’s expression doesn't so much as twitch as he watches the footage.

* * *

 

Ivy walks around her greenhouse grabbing the various plants and herbs she needs to patch up the bird sitting at her kitchen table.

“Why are you helping me?” It’s the first words she’s heard him speak since that first day at Arkham.

Ivy looks him over. He already changed out of his orange Arkham jumpsuit but his sallow and pale skin make it look like he never left.

She smiles as she sits beside him, wrapping leaves around his cuts and dabbing a salve on his bruises.

“Because even evil has standards.”


End file.
